Northwestern extends McKeown's contract through 2017

Evanston, IL – Northwestern women's head basketball coach Joe McKeown has been given a contract extension through the 2016-17 season.

McKeown has led the program to a pair of WNIT appearances (2010-11) during his five seasons at the helm. The Wildcats compiled a 13-17 record in 2012-13, losing to Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.

"With the 2013 Big Ten Freshman of the Year (Maggie Lyon) returning and two high school All-Americans joining a talented squad coming back for the 2013-14 season, we look forward to a very bright future that's ahead for the Northwestern women's basketball program under Joe's direction," vice president for athletics and recreation Jim Phillips said in a statement Thursday.

McKeown has 580 career wins, a significant portion of which were accumulated during a 19-year stint at George Washington University (1989-2008).